Polishing machine



May 2 11939. D. EDGAR POLISHING MACHINE.

Filed Feb. 1,

Patented May 2, 1939 more OFFIQE POLISHING MACHINE Application February 1, 1937, Serial-No,"123,348

11 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to machines for treating hides, skins and leather. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine for polishing the suede and grain surfaces of tanned skins,

it is to be understood that the invention and various important features thereof may have other applications and uses.

One of the most commonly employed machines for polishing skins comprises characteristically a relatively narrow roll or wheel having its face convex in cross section, in an organization wherein there is provided a work-backing member against which the operator presses a portion of the skin to hold thelatter against displacement while'otherportions of the same skin are held by the operator more or less firmly against the rotating roll or wheel during movement of the operative surface of the latter in a direction awayfrom the operator. It follows that the op- :erator must constantly shift the skin to treat different portions thereof. For the sake of speed in the operation, the operator commonly presses the skin against said work-backing member while twisting the free portions thereof from side to vside to treat the said portions of the skin. It follows that the path ofthe polishing surface of the roll or wheel on the surface of the skin varies in its direction as successive portions of the skin aretreated. Furthermore, it is difficult to secure uniformity-in the polishing effect with such a roll or wheel due to the shape of the latter and to the manner in which the work piece is held and presented to the roll by the operator.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved polishing machine of general utility. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a construction which will facilitate the securing of uniform results and with an even greater output than by machines known to the prior art.

To these ends, and in accordance with an importantfeature of the invention, there is provided a work treating roll of a length corresponding to the longest dimension of the skins in the class of skins for which the machine is designed in combination with means for clamping each skin along a line parallel to the backbone line thereof so that the path of the polishing surface of the.

cylinder on the portion of the work piece being treated is everywhere in a direction at a right angle to the backbone line. It will be understood that the skin may be clamped along a selected line other than that mentioned above. For instance, the skin may be introduced into the ;clamping means with the backbone line of the skin "ata right angle to the-clamping surface of the clamping means. Approximately one-half of the skin is commonlytreated at a time by being pressed'manually orotherwise upon'the surface of the polishing cylinder or roll, the skin being reversed, after "treatment of the first half, and placed with the treated portion in the clamping means while the theretofore untreated portion is spread upon the polishing surface of the roll.

It is an important feature of the invention that gaging means is provided for positioning the skin in such predetermined relation to the buffing roll at'each treatment thereof that aselected: line, such'as the backbone line, of the skin will be the line of demarcation between-two polishec'; surfaces on the skin made by the polishing sur face of the rollwhile-traveling away-from the said selected or backbone line of the-skin. In this manner there is secured a uniform effect on both halvesof each skin while at the same time treatment of the skins is expedited to asubstantialdegree;

In one embodiment of the'invention, the gaging means is associated with a movable work clamping member to determine the position of the work piece with respect to work clamping means associated with the polishing roll. In another preferred construction, the gaging means is stationary in space and is conveniently a straight-edged bar mounted in a plane above the movable work clamping member to position the-work piece in the clamping means and thus in predetermined relation to the polishing roll.

These and other-important features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will now be described in detail in the specification and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a view'in perspective showing the work treating parts of a machine illustrating one em-- bodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a skin in clamped position and resting on the work support;

Fig. 3-is a view-similar to Fig. 2 but showing the work in contact with the work treating roll;

and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

In the illustrated machine which is speciallydesigned to polish surfaces of tanned skins, such as sheep and goat skins, there is provided a polishing roll 4 which is of a length somewhat greater than the longest dimensions of skins of endsof the standardsj i A co-operating work 7 the class for which this machine is designed, so that no shifting of the skin is necessary while treating all portions of the latter substantially beyond a portion which is clamped to hold the skin against displacement during treatment thereof. The surface of the roll 4 is covered by a polishing fabric such as a suitable grade of velour 6.

For presenting pieces of work to the polishing roll 4 there is provided a work support 8 which is conveniently supported by swing-arms l0 pivoted at l2 to standards Id of the machine frame. Secured to each swing arm I0 is a bar l6 which is also braced by a cross bar l8 secured to the bar I6 and to the swing arm I0. Pivoted to the bar l6 near its free end is a link 20 the lower end of which is also pivoted to a lever 22 pivotally mounted on the machine frame. It will be observed that there are two levers 22 connected in the manner described to the bars [6 and that these levers 22 have secured to their front ends a treadle bar 24 which may be depressed to cause movement of the work'support 8 from a work receiving position shown in Fig. 1 to the work clamping position shown in Fig. 2. For returning thework support 8 to its open position, springs 26 are provided and each is connected to the rear or free end of one of the bars l6.

For holding a work piece against displacement while it is being treated by the polishing roll 4 there is provided work clamping means which, in the illustrated construction, comprises a stationary clamping bar 28 secured to the upper clamping memento is carried at the upper ends of the swing arms Ill and hence is associated with the work support 8. Conveniently, and as illustrated, the work clamping bar 30 constitutes the immediate support for the work support 8.

-Hence, when the treadle 24 is depressed after a piece of work has been positioned on the work support 8, both work support 8 and the movable work clamping member 30 move together to press a portion of the work piece against the stationary clamping member 28. e

In certain classes of work it is desirable to treat a given surface of the work piece by a tool or tools which move directly away from the backbone line of the skin. Even in those cases in which some other line of demarcation is selected, it is sometimes desirable not to overlapthe treated areas but to have the treated areas separated by a rather sharpline of demarcation. This is the situation in many cases in which the work pieces are introduced twice into the machine so that approximately half of the work piece is treated at one operation and theremainder at a subsequent operation. In orderto secure treatment of work pieces in the manner just outlined, gagingmeans is provided to facilitate proper positioning of each work piece in the work clamping device. In the illustrated machine this gagingmeans is associated with the work support8. Conveniently the work support 8 itself provides a gaging surface which is the straight edge at vt2, the work support? being of a widthi'such that the distance from the upper clamping line at 34 to the edge 32 issubstantially identicalwith the distance between said line 34 and the line at 36 where the under, surface of the work piece contacts the polishing roll 6. When it is desired to have a larger lap of the work piece on the surface of the roll 4, the work clamping devices are positioned lower a /0r closer to the roll than in the drawing.

In introducing a skin into this machine, in a 4 while the latter is rotating at high speed. With:

light pressure of the hands the skin is held on the surface of the roll until the desired polishing eifect is obtained. When treatment of this portion of the skin is finished, the said portion is removed from the roll by the operator who maintains his hold on the work piece to reverse it before placing it again in the machine. Upon releasing the treadle, the work support 8 moves to open position shown in Fig. l. The operator then reversesthe skin on the work support with the treated portion in position to be clamped between the clamping members 28 and 30. Again the backbone line of the skin is positioned along the straight edge gaging means 32 with the untreated portion of the skin hanging down adjacent to the operator. Now, upon depressing the treadle 34 the skin is again clamped in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. Upon again throwing the free portion of the skin onto the roll 4, as indicated in Fig. 3, the theretofore untreated portion of the skin is now subjected to polishing operations. Moreover, it will be found that the nap of the sueded surface on the fully treated skin will be lying in opposite directions from the backbone line so that the two portions of the skin will have received substantially identical treatment. Hence, the skin'is in the most desirable treated condition, it being understood in this connection that in cutting up skins for use in articles of commerce it is rare, indeed, that cuts are ever made across the backbone line of the skins being utilized for a given purpose.

In that'embodiment of the invention shown in Figl 4 of the drawing, gaging means for the work piece is provided in the form of a straight edge ing members 42 and 44. In this construction the bar 40 is substantially coextensive with the clamping member 42, M and serves other useful purposesin that it' provides a work supporting surface and also furnishes a support for steady ing the operator. As the operator leans forwardly to spread the work over the polishing roll 4, his thighs engage the bar 40 and thus he is steadied or braced during his manipulations of the work piece. As shown, the straight edge gaging means 38 is identical with the line at the meeting of the inner and upper surfaces of the bar or support 40. It will be readily understood that the work clamping member 42 is stationary and is the full equivalent of the stationary clamping bar 28 0f Figs. 2 and. 3. Similarly, the clamping bar is movable between open or work receiving position and closed or work clamping positionand is the equivalent of the clamping bar 30 of Figs. 2 and 3. a

In treating a piece of work with a machine of the type shown in Fig. 4, the work piece, such as a skin 46, is placed over the bar 40 with a portion depiendinginto the space between the clampingbars 4 2 and 44 which, at the time, are in the open work receiving position shown in Fig. 4. The backbone line of the skin is positioned along the straight edge gaging means 38 and is held in that position by the operator while the clampping' bar 44 moves to work clamping position through operation of a treadle similar to that shown at 24 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. While maintaining the treadle depressed, the operator throws the upper free portion of the skin over on the polishing roll 4 for treatment of that portion of the skin surface which may contact the polishing surface of the roll 4. It is to be noted that the distance from the upper clamping line at to the. straight edge gaging means 38 is the same as the distance from said clamping line 48 to the line at 50 which marks the lower bounciary of the area being treated by the polishing roll 40. Hence,-in those cases wherein it is desired not to have any overlapping of the treated areas on the skin, the backbone line of the partially treated skin is again located along the straight edge 38 while the treated portion of the Work piece is hanging down between the open clamp members 42 and 44 and while the untreated portion of the work piece is resting, in part, on the upper surface of the bar 40. Again the treadle is depressed to cause the movable clamping bar 44 to move to Work clamping position, while the skin is maintained with the backbone line thereof resting along the gaging edge 38. Now upon throwing the upper free portion of the skin over on the polishing roll 4, the other half I of said skin will be treated and there will be a sharp line of demarcation between the two treated portions of the finished work piece. Even in those cases where it is desired to have some overlapping of the treated surfaces along the median line of the work piece, as in polishing operations upon the grain surface of a skin, it is desirable to make use of the straight edge gaging means 38 to determine approximately the amount of overlap since the latter must not be too great, it being understood that the polishing roll 4 is made of a size to accommodate the class of work pieces that it is desired to treat. In treating sheepskins, for instance, the roll 4 is about sixty-two inches in circumference, so that the whole skin may be treated in two operations, it being understood that at each operation the skin contacts about one-third of the circumferential surface of the polishing roll,

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: v

1. In a machine for treating hides, skins and leather. a rotary tool, co-operating clamping members relatively movable with respect to each other to engage and hold a piece of work against displacement while a portion thereof is being treated by said tool, supporting members movably mounted on the frame of the machine and arranged to support one of the clamping members for movement toward and from the other, a treadle connected to operate the supporting members, and a gage member mounted to move with themovable clamping member and having a clamping members of a length substantially that of the cylinder and operative to clamp a work piece against movement during treatment by said cylinder, swing arms supporting one of said clamping members for movement toward and from the other, and a gage member mounted to move with the movable clamping member and having a work supporting surface extending at a right angle to the clamping surface of'the movable work clamping member, said gage member being provided to determine the position of the work piece with respect to said clamping members and hence with respect to said cylinder.

3. In a machine for treating hides, skins and era-their, a rotary cylinder having its peripheral surface fitted to treat pieces of work, said cylinder being of length corresponding to the longest dimension of the work pieces to be treated, work clamping members of a length substantially that of the cylinder and operative to clamp a work piece against movement during treatment by said cylinder, and a gage member mounted independently of the clamping members for determining the position of the work piece with respect to said clamping members.

4. In a machine for treating hides, skins and leather, a rotary tool having its peripheral surface fitted to treat pieces of work, a clamping member located in a predetermined spaced relation to said peripheral surface, a second clamping member co-operating with the stationary clamping member and movable to clamp a work piece against movement during treatment by said tool, and a gage member mounted to move with the movable clamping member and having a work positioning edge spaced from the nearest clamping line of the clamping members a distance equivalent to the distance between said clamping line and the line of contact on the rotary tool of a work piece gripped by the clamping members and tangent to the peripheral surface of the rotary tool.

5. In a machine for treating hides, skins and leather, a rotary tool having its peripheral surface fitted to treat pieces of work, a clamping member located in a predetermined spaced relation to said peripheral surface, a movable work clamping member for co-operation with the stationary work clamping member to hold the work piece against displacement during treatment thereof by said tool, and a work support having an edge spaced from the upper clamping line of the clamping members a distance equivalent to the distance between said clamping line and the line'of contact on the rotary tool of a work piece gripped by the clamping members and tangent to the peripheral surface of the work treating tool.

6. In a machine for treating hides and skins, a rotary tool, a stationary work clamping member, a movable work clamping member for cooperation with the stationary clamping member to hold the work against displacement while a portion thereof is being treated by said tool, and a gaging means, stationary with respect to the machine frame, for determining the position of the work piece in said clamping members.

7. In a machine for treating hides and skins, a rotary tool, a stationary work clamping member, a movable work clamping member for co-operation with the stationary clamping member to hold the work against displacement while a portion thereof is being treated by said tool, and gaging means mounted independently of the movable clamping member for determining the position of the work piece with respect to said clamping members.

8. In a machine for treating hides and skins, a

rotary cylinder, a stationary work clamping member in spaced relation to the surface of the cylinder and substantially parallel to the axis of the latter, a movable work clamping member for cooperation with the stationary clamping member in holding the work against displacement during treatment by said cylinder, a stationary bar parallel to the stationary work clamping 'member, and gaging means for the work piece associated with said stationary bar.

9. In a machine for treating hides and skins, a rotary cylinder, a stationary Work clamping member in spaced relation to the surface of the cylinder and substantially parallel to the axis of the latter, a movable work clamping member for co-operation with the stationary clamping member in holding the work against displacement during treatment by said cylinder, and a stationary bar parallel to the stationary work clamping member, said bar having a straight edge serving as a gaging means for determining the position of the work piece in said clamping members.

10. In a machine for treating hides and skins, a rotary buffing cylinder, a stationary work clamping member in spaced relation to the surface of the cylinder and substantially parallel to the axis of the latter, a movable work clamping member for co-operation with the stationary clamping member in holding the work against displacement during treatment by said cylinder, and a stationary bar parallel to the stationary work clamping member and in a plane above the latter, said bar having a gaging means for determining the position of the work piece in said clamping members, and said bar serving also as a temporary work support during positioning of the work piece with reference to said gaging means.

11. In a machine for treating hides and skins, a rotary bufiing cylinder, a stationary work clamping member in spaced relation to the surface of the cylinder and substantially parallel to the axis of the latter, a movable work clamping member for co-operation with the stationary clamping member in holding the work against displacement during treatment by said cylinder, a, stationary bar parallel to the stationary work clamping member and in a plane above the latter, said bar having a straight edge serving as a gaging means for the work piece in said clamping members, and said bar serving also as a steadying member for the operator while the work piece is being spread out on the rotary cylinder.

7 DAVID EDGAR, 

